DEEPLIFE in Diversity and Distributions (2022)

Mesophotic coral ecosystems might be crucial for the conservation of coral reefs. This new article reveals that coral diversity is unexpectedly higher in the mesophotic range (40-60m) than in shallow reefs. Indeed, this mid-zone hosts coral assemblages typical of both ranges, the shallow and deep reefs; thus, it could act as a safeguard of biodiversity.

At the same time, while the diversity of shallow reefs is similar among islands, the diversity of mesophotic reefs differs from site to site. These pioneering findings challenge our perception of conservation needs.

We provide new perspectives that if we seek to preserve the coral biodiversity, efficient conservation of coral reefs requires considering mesophotic depths and site-specific measures. This is particularly relevant in the light of ever-increasing human pressures and climate change effects, which seem to be less severe with increasing depth.

Summary from the article "Mesophotic coral ecosystems of French Polynesia are hotspots of alpha and beta generic diversity for scleractinian assemblages." 

Read the full article via the link below. 

Authors - Pérez-Rosales G., Pichon M.,  Rouzé H., Villeger S., Torda G., Bongaerts P., Carlot J., Under The Pole Consortium, Parravicini V, Hédouin L.